Conveyor assembly

A conveyor assembly comprising:

• a reciprocally moveable, and linearly elongated conveyor bed having an upwardly facing conveying surface for supporting a product for movement therealong, and wherein the reciprocally moveable conveyor bed has opposite sides, first and second ends, a longitudinal axis extending between the first and second ends, and a peripheral edge which is, at least in part, parallel to the longitudinal axis, and wherein a pair of upwardly extending sidewalk are individually affixed along the peripheral edge, and are further located on the opposite sides of the conveyor bed;
• a base frame for supporting the linearly elongated conveyor bed for reciprocal motion, and in spaced relation relative thereto;
• a plurality of narrowly elongated and cylindrically shaped springs which have opposite ends, and wherein one end of the respective cylindrically shaped springs are mounted on the base frame, and the opposite end of the respective cylindrically shaped springs are mounted on the elongated conveyor bed, and wherein the respective cylindrically shaped springs position the elongated conveyor bed in spaced, reciprocally moveable relation relative to the base frame;
• a pair of drive assemblies which are mounted, at least in part, on the base frame, and which further, when energized, individually impart a given force to the reciprocally moveable conveyor bed so as to cause product movement between the first and second ends thereof, and wherein the pair of drive assemblies are individually located, at least in part, on the opposite sides of the linearly elongated conveyor bed, and are further located intermediate the first and second ends thereof;
• and
• a controller for selectively energizing the pair of drive assemblies so as to cause the product, which is supported on the conveying surface of the linearly elongated conveyor bed, to move along a predetermined, and selectively adjustable path of travel relative to the upwardly facing surface, and which includes a path of travel which is oriented along the longitudinal axis of the linearly elongated conveyor bed;
• or along and in contact with either of the upwardly extending sidewalls of the linearly elongated conveyor bed;
• or along either of the longitudinal axis, and at least one of the upwardly extending sidewalls of the linearly elongated conveyor bed.